Sir William Ducy

Sir William Ducy, Bt., later Viscount Downes (1612-1697), aged 21, uniface cast bronze portrait medal, 1636, by Claude Warin, bust right, in falling lace collar and doublet, the reverse incuse, 78.5 mm. (MI 277/80; BMC [Jones] 300). Good very fine and well cast on thin flan (with sharp indented image and lettering), good patination, two minute casting holes in truncation of bust, very rare.

William Ducy [Ducye, Ducie] was the 2nd son of Sir Robert Ducy and Elizabeth Pyott. He married Frances Seymour, daughter of Lord Seymour. In 1656 he succeeded his brother Richard, becoming the 3rd Baron Ducy. He and his uncle Hugh, were appointed a Knights of the Bath in 1662 and Charles II also created him Viscount Downe of Ireland. In 1636, the year this medal was issued, Sir William Ducy and his wife were amongst the principal contributors to the Merchant Tailors' Company Almshouses, near Tower Hill, London.

Provenance: Morton & Eden Auction, 20-21 May, 2003 (lot 1137); Glendining Auction, 22 November 1989 (lot 435).